Branches
Mitchell Holmes
“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2
The relationship between followers of Christ and God has been described in many ways in the Bible. Jesus describes us as sheep that need constant guidance and attention that are unable to fend for ourselves. We see God described as our Heavenly Father; One that looks down at us admiringly and delicately loves and corrects us. However, one description of this relationship in the book of John is unlike the rest.
In John 15:2, Jesus says, “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” What Jesus is saying here is that all believers are branches on a tree that must be connected to the “vine” (Jesus) from verse 1.
Every believer must be rooted in Jesus. We must seek connection to Him every day. A tree branch that becomes disconnected from its root, simply cannot live. Every person that loves Christ should be living a life that is glorifying to God, made evident by the “fruit” that can be witnessed in their everyday life. If we truly love the Lord, our actions, mannerisms, and characteristics should point others to Jesus. The way that Jesus compares our actions to fruit is very interesting. For a fruit-bearing plant to produce fruit is something that takes no effort. It does not have to think about it. It is no surprise when it happens, the plant just does what its biology is designed to do. For Christians, it should be the same: love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness should be an unconscious thought for us. We should not have to put any thought into these “fruits,” it should be the standard and it should be no surprise to those around us. When we do not bear fruit, Jesus says the vinedresser or the Father takes away those branches. There are several interpretations of what that means but I personally do not believe this to be a pleasant thought.
The relationship between the believer and God does not end at bearing fruit. The most interesting thing about this description of vine, branch, and vinedresser is the way that it discusses how the Father will prune the branches that are connected to the vine and producing fruit. Pruning is the process of cutting away excess growth or decay in a plant. Left unattended, a fruit-bearing plant will produce its fruits but with some care, cultivation, and painful pruning, that plant can achieve even greater fruit production. The process of cutting away dead or overdeveloped areas of our lives is a painful one for us, but our Father and vinedresser cares about us enough to painfully remove those parts of us to help us fully bloom and better glorify God.
Mitchell Holmes
“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2
The relationship between followers of Christ and God has been described in many ways in the Bible. Jesus describes us as sheep that need constant guidance and attention that are unable to fend for ourselves. We see God described as our Heavenly Father; One that looks down at us admiringly and delicately loves and corrects us. However, one description of this relationship in the book of John is unlike the rest.
In John 15:2, Jesus says, “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” What Jesus is saying here is that all believers are branches on a tree that must be connected to the “vine” (Jesus) from verse 1.
Every believer must be rooted in Jesus. We must seek connection to Him every day. A tree branch that becomes disconnected from its root, simply cannot live. Every person that loves Christ should be living a life that is glorifying to God, made evident by the “fruit” that can be witnessed in their everyday life. If we truly love the Lord, our actions, mannerisms, and characteristics should point others to Jesus. The way that Jesus compares our actions to fruit is very interesting. For a fruit-bearing plant to produce fruit is something that takes no effort. It does not have to think about it. It is no surprise when it happens, the plant just does what its biology is designed to do. For Christians, it should be the same: love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness should be an unconscious thought for us. We should not have to put any thought into these “fruits,” it should be the standard and it should be no surprise to those around us. When we do not bear fruit, Jesus says the vinedresser or the Father takes away those branches. There are several interpretations of what that means but I personally do not believe this to be a pleasant thought.
The relationship between the believer and God does not end at bearing fruit. The most interesting thing about this description of vine, branch, and vinedresser is the way that it discusses how the Father will prune the branches that are connected to the vine and producing fruit. Pruning is the process of cutting away excess growth or decay in a plant. Left unattended, a fruit-bearing plant will produce its fruits but with some care, cultivation, and painful pruning, that plant can achieve even greater fruit production. The process of cutting away dead or overdeveloped areas of our lives is a painful one for us, but our Father and vinedresser cares about us enough to painfully remove those parts of us to help us fully bloom and better glorify God.
Posted in Upper Room
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